Spring connection



Aug. 28, 1934. R. R. SEARLES 1,971,967

SPRING CONNECTION Filed Aug. 9, 1932 22 6 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 28, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,971,967 (SPRING CONNECTION Raymond R. Searles, New Britain, Conn., signor to The Fafnir Bearing Company,

, as l New My invention relates to a spring connection and more particularly to a so-called hinge connection for connecting a vehicle spring to a frame.

It is the general object of my invention to pro- .vide a hinge end connection which is simple in construction, easy to assemble, and which permits of substantial economies in production and use.

Other objects and features of the invention will be hereinafter pointed out or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon study of the specification taken in connection with the draw- Briefly stated, in a preferredform of the invention I employ shackle link means or connecting links for a spring and frame preferably coacting therewith through anti-friction bearing members. The connecting links may be furthermore connected to one of the connected members so 0 as to prevent shackling movement between that member and the links while permitting a hinge movement between the other member, usually the spring, and-the links. my invention particularly shown in "the draw- .5v ing, the shackle links are so constructed that they may be reversed end for end or from side to side ofthe support was to constitute, in effect, areversible bearing bracket for the end of the. vehicle frame. Y 0 I In the drawing which shows, for illustrative purposes only, a single. preferred formof the in-.'

vention- 7 Fig. 1 is a side view, in elevation, of a hinge connection illustrative of theinvention; 5

In said drawing, 5 indicates a frame, for example an automobile frame, while 6 indicates a spring to be connected thereto. .The frame and spring are connected by means of shackle or connecting links '7--8 which are preferably duplicates of each other and which may be symmetri-e cal or substantially symmetrical. Links such as 7-8 are now well known and are usually formed,

of pressed metal providing raceways -9l0 at spaced apart, points thereon for the reception of anti-friction bearing members such as balls 11-11.

The balls, as is well known, may be held in place part'of the dust excluding and lubricant retain-v Ling means.

Again, in that form of Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken substantiallyin the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1..

The frame 5 carries means such as a through pin 13 projecting beyond the sides thereof and having a raceway 14 on each of the projectingends. The spring 6 may carry means such as a through pin 15 projecting beyond the sides thereof and having raceways l6 complementary to the racewayslO on the connecting links. The antifriction bearing members 11 interposed between the raceways on the links and the raceways on the pin 13-15 serve, in the present instance, to pivotally connect the spring to the links and assist in connecting the links to the frame 5.

The construction as thus far described would constitute a shackle construction permitting ,a shackling motion between the frame and spring. In accordance with my invention, however, the

. links 7-8 are rigidly secured to one of the members, such as the frame 5, by suitable means such as a through bolt 17 extending through the links preferably intermediate the ends thereof, and provided with means such as a nut 18 for drawing the links toward each other. In the form shown, the frame 5 acts as spacing means for the links 7-8 and, as illustrated, has outwardly projecting bosses 19-19 for engagement with the links, or, more strictly speaking, with thesheet metal plate 12 forming part of the dust excluding means and, in any event, serve to space the links apart when the latter are drawn up by means of the through bolt. Thus, the links are prevented from partaking 5, since the links are connected to the frame by means of a through bolt 17 and are prevented from rotating thereabout by means of the pin 13 and coacting balls 11.

It will'be noted that the pin 13 is of a length to remain free ofthe links 7-8 while the pin 15 is of a length to engage and assist in spacing the links 7 -8. The pin 15 is made of such preof any shackling motion with respect to the frame determined length that when the links 78 are drawn-toward each other so as to be firmly held to'the :frame, the links will be in engagement Foreign matter may be-nexcluded from and lubricant retained on the bearing surfaces by a suitable means such as the sheet metal platel2,

The

, It will be seenthat the links 7-8 are rigidly car-- ried by the frame while free pivotal movement is.-

permitted between the spring 6 and the links. I prefer to employ shackle links 78, as shown,

which are symmetrical so as to facilitate manna facture and speed up assembly. Links of substantially the form shown are well known as shackle links and may be produced very cheaply.

It is, however, to be understood that I do not wish to be confined to such shackle-linksnor to a particular means for securing the links against shackling motion to the members such as the frame. Various changes and modificationssmayj be made in that and other respects.

When standard shackle.- links such as-7-8L-ar'e employed, it'm'ay sometimes be dimcult to secure just the proper spacingbetween the center line of the pin 13 and the center line of apertures. in 'the links 'l8 for receiving the through bolt 17.

I therefore prefer. to provide bushings such as.-

bronze bushings 23 in the enlarged apertures in the links. These bushings. may be reamed-so as to cause a proper fit betweenallv of the parts. The bushings may. in some cases be omitted, but

they will usually be preferable since the links are usually heat treated and are relatively hard, and. if improper spacing of the apertures. in the links should occur, such defect may perhaps be best remedied by the bushings, as described.

While the invention has been described in. considerable detail and a single preferred form:

illustrated, it is to be understood thatvarious changes, additions and omissions may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

- I claim:

I. In1a spring. connection a frame member, a spring member, pin means carried byeach of said inembersand projecting beyond the: sides thereohlink members cooperating with said pin means to connect said spring and frame toeach.

other, each of said link. members comprisinga member having corresponding bearing raceways-- concentric with the projecting ends of. both of.

said pin means, anti-friction bearing members interposed between the pin means carried" bysaid spring and the adjacent raceways of said link members, anti-friction bearing members in- T terposedbetween the projecting portions of said' pin means carried by said frame. and the adjiacent raceways of said link members, and. means for detachably securing said linklmember'siintermediate the endstthereof to hold said links against oscillation on the pin means carried by 'said frame. 1 2.. In a spring connection, a frame, a spring,-

means forpivotally connecting said frame and spring comprising shackle links reversible end for end, and means for rigidly holding said shackle links to one of said first mentionedmem bers to prevent shackling' action between said member and said links while permitting a hinge action between. the other of said members and" rigidly Securing said links-to, Said frame t and spring, and interchangeable anti-friction bearing members interposed between both of said:

with the raceways of said pin means, anti-friction bearing members interposed between the raceways of said shackle means and the raceways of said pinmeans-for anti-frictionally connecting said spring, and frame, and means for rigidly connecting said shackle link means to said frame against oscillation relatively thereto.

5.. In aspring connection, a frame, a spring, reversible shackle links for connecting said spring and frame, said frame beingo'f' widthto act as a spacer for said-links, a through bolt for connecting saidlinks to said frame, a pin "extending through said frame in spaced relation to said through bolt, anti-friction bearing members in-. terposedbetween the ends of saidpin and adjacent portions of said shackle links, and means for pivotally connecting said spring to said shackle links I 6. Sims. spring connection, av frame, a spring, each of said members carrying: pivot pin 'means projecting beyond the sides thereof, shackle links for connecting said spring and frame, the pin .beari ng members interposed between the last mentionednpin-meansand adjacent portions of said linkman'd: means for rigidly connecting said links to the frame: to check oscillation-of said :link

relatively thereto. 7 V l' 7. In a'spring'connection, a frame, a spring, pin meanscarricd by said spring, pin means carri'ed .by' said frame, connecting links for said spring and frame, anti-friction bearing. members interposed between. the pin means carriedby the.

1 spring and adjacent portions. ofsaid connecting.

links, the last mentioned pinmeans-being longer than'thei other pin 'm'eans'to act-as a. spacenfor the adjacent portions of said connecting links,

and means for rigidly connecting saidconnecting links to said frame to check oscillation :of saidlinks relatively thereto.

8. In a -.spring connection, .a framaa spring, pin means carried by saidframe extending beyond thesides thereof, pin. means: carried by said spring and extending beyond the sides thereof,.connectinglinks for said spring and frame and having corresponding raceways for anti-friction bearing members. at spacedrpoints adjacent the projecting ends: of said pin in'eans,zanti-fric tion bearingwmembers interposed between said. raceways and. saidtpin means, said pin.- means on said'spring being of a length'to engage. and space. the. adjacent portions. of saidconnecting links,-

said pin means. on saidif'r'ame'being' free of said connecting-links, other-portions of said links being'held-in space'd-relation/by' said frame,'and a through boltl extending through. said links and frame intermediate" the ends of "saidlinks for oscillation relatively thereto.

frame? and spring, means for connecting said links and frameat spaced apart points one of said means comprising a through bolt extending through said links and frame, and bushings interposed between said through bolt and said links, and means for pivotally connecting said spring to said connecting links. I

10. In a spring connection, a frame, a spring, means for pivotally connecting said spring and frame to each other, including connecting links reversible end for end, and means intermediate the ends of said links for connecting the latter to one of said two first mentioned members for the purpose of preventing pivotal motion between said links and said member while permitting pivotal motion between the other of said members and said links.

11. In a spring connection, a frame, a spring, pin means carried by said spring' and projecting beyond the sides thereof, pin means carried by said frame and projecting beyond the sides thereof, connecting links for said spring and frame comprising substantially symmetrical reversible links, corresponding anti-friction bearing member raceways at spaced points thereon to cooperate with the projecting ends of said pin means, anti-friction bearing members interposed between said raceways and the projecting ends of said pin means, and means for connecting said links to one of said members to prevent shackling motion between the latter and said links.

12. In a spring connection, a frame, a spring, reversible shackle links for connecting said spring and frame, means for pivotally connecting one of said members to said connecting links, means extending through said links for connecting the same to each other and to the other of said two first mentioned members, and means spaced from said through means and connected to said frame and acting between said links for preventing rotation between said links and frame.

13. In a spring connection, a frame, a spring, reversible links for said frame and spring, a through bolt for connecting said frame and links, and projecting means carried by said frame and spaced from said through bolt and coacting with said links for preventing oscillation of the latter on said through bolt, and means for pivotally connecting said spring to said links.

14. In a spring connection, a frame, a spring, said frame having oppositely located integral bosses thereon facing outwardly, connecting links engaging said outwardly facing bosses so as to space said links apart, means for connecting said links to said frame, means for pivotally connecting said spring to said links, and means held between said bosses and said links for excluding dust from and retaining lubricant in said pivotal connection.

15. A vehicle frame bracket for hingedly supporting one end of a load carrying vehicle spring comprising, two link members, a hinge bearing at each end of each of said members, and means to hold both of said members rigidly against movement on opposite sides of a supporting portion of said vehicle frame with one hinge bearing of each link member projecting from said supporting portion to receive between them the ends of a load carrying vehicle spring hinge pin, both of said link members being reversible end for end.

RAYMOND R. SEARLES. 

